Online NewsHour: Transportation Archive | 2007

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TRANSPORTATION


	2007 DECEMBER December 20, 2007 EPA Decides Against Calif. Emissions Standards President Bush on Thursday defended the decision of EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson to block California from implementing its tailpipe emissions law.

	December 19, 2007 New Plan Aims to Relieve Air Travel Congestion The government announced plans on Wednesday to ease congestion for holiday air travel, including opening up military air space and limiting flights to busy New York City airports. A former Federal Aviation Administration chief and an airline representative examine the proposal.

	December 12, 2007 GPS-based System May Improve Air Travel The Federal Aviation Administration has unveiled a new air traffic control system, ADS-B, that incorporates the Global Positioning System to more accurately track airplanes in flight. Tom Bearden examines ADS-B, which the FAA has promised will make air travel safer and easier.



	NOVEMBER November 15, 2007 Bush Announces Plan to Reduce Air Travel Delays President Bush announced new plans Thursday to minimize air travel delays and improve airline security. Two reporters assess the latest developments in the travel industry.



	OCTOBER October 10, 2007 Auto Workers Walk Out at Chrysler, Reach Quick Settlement More than 30,000 auto workers at Chrysler went on strike Wednesday morning, but their union reached a settlement with the automaker by the end of the day. Washington Post automotive columnist Warren Brown provides an update.

	October 9, 2007 Ethanol Boom Aids Farmers, but Stirs Environmental Concerns The high cost of oil and a national push toward alternative fuels has pushed ethanol production and corn prices to skyrocket. In eastern Colorado, corn farmers and other stakeholders contemplate the future of ethanol, which some researchers fear may not be the ideal alternative to gasoline.



	SEPTEMBER September 26, 2007 Autoworkers, GM Agree to Health Care Trust, Other Benefits The United Auto Workers union and General Motors reached a tentative agreement on Wednesday that includes a health care trust fund for retirees. A journalist based in Detroit explains the ramifications of the deal.

	September 26, 2007 Autoworkers Union, General Motors Reach Tentative Deal The United Auto Workers union ended its two-day strike on General Motors early Wednesday with a tentative deal that includes a health care plan funded by GM but managed by the union.

	September 24, 2007 Autoworkers, GM Continue Talks During Strike United Auto Workers union-represented employees walked out of General Motors plants Monday in the first nationwide strike against a U.S. automaker since 1976. Two experts recount the day's events and the walkout's impact.



	AUGUST August 23, 2007 Debate Rages over Raised Highway in Seattle After the bridge collapse in Minnesota, the debate over what to do with the Alaskan Way Viaduct, an aging raised highway in Seattle, has gotten even more intense. Lee Hochberg of Oregon Public Broadcasting reports.

	August 15, 2007 Transportation Secretary Discusses Concerns About National Infrastructure The bridge collapse in Minneapolis earlier this month raised questions about the state of the aging transportation infrastructure. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters discusses what the government is doing to ensure its safety.

	August 7, 2007 FAA Official Discusses Flight Delays Across United States U.S. airlines are suffering major delays across the country. Federal Aviation Administration official Marion Blakey talks to the NewsHour about what is causing the delays and how the government is handling the frustrating situation.

	August 6, 2007 Minneapolis Faces Its Future As Crews Prepare to Clean Up Bridge Collapse Crews working to remove the debris from the Mississippi River following a bridge collapse in Minneapolis began moving in their heavy equipment on Monday. Meanwhile the Minneapolis area continues to cope with the disaster, which killed at least five people.

	August 3, 2007 Local Officials Describe Bridge Collapse's Toll on Minneapolis A fifth person was confirmed dead after the collapse of a highway bridge in Minneapolis, while authorities lowered the number of missing to eight. The mayor of Minneapolis and the county sheriff describe the effect on the community.

	August 2, 2007 Recovery Efforts Continue After Minneapolis Bridge Collapse The search for bodies continued in Minneapolis Thursday following the collapse of a highway bridge into the Mississippi River. As many as 30 people are missing. Two infrastructure experts assess the reasons for the collapse.



	JULY July 23, 2007 Automakers and Union Negotiate Workers Pay, Health Care Three major U.S. automakers, including General Motors, are negotiating with United Auto Workers on wages, pension plans and health care. Analysts talk about what the industry hopes to achieve.

	July 5, 2007 FAA Reconsiders Pilot Retirement Age Current law requires American pilots to retire once they turn 60, but the federal government is considering changing the age to 65. The NewsHour reports on the law's impact on the airline industry.



	JUNE June 20, 2007 Senators Debate Increasing Fuel Standards for Vehicles A provision in the new Senate energy bill would increase fuel economy standards for cars and trucks by 2020. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Kit Bond, R-Mo., debate the measure.

	June 11, 2007 Expert Talks About Travel Industry's Challenges Recent changes in scheduling and delays from several major airlines have made getting out of town more difficult than normal. Airline journalist David Field talks about about what to expect from travel companies this summer.

	June 8, 2007 U.S. to Suspend New Border Rules to Ease Passport Backlog The Bush administration said Friday that it would temporarily relax rules requiring passports for U.S. citizens traveling by air to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean because of long waits in processing passports.



	MAY May 31, 2007 Tuberculosis Patient Raises Concerns About Health Risks A man diagnosed with a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis completed several oversees flights despite health warnings, raising questions about security and health precautions. A medical professor discusses the dangers of the disease and the government's response.

	May 31, 2007 Nanotechnology Tapped to Boost Hybrid Car Efficiency A day after President Bush instructed his Cabinet to develop a plan to improve fuel efficiency in cars and trucks, Nissan opened a facility to explore cutting-edge science like nanotechnology in its quest for environmentally friendly vehicles.

	May 30, 2007 California Seeks EPA Approval for Tougher Emissions Curbs The Environmental Protection Agency held a public hearing in Sacramento, Calif., on Wednesday to review California's bid to pass a law restricting car emissions beyond the federal level. California and EPA officials discuss the bid.

	May 22, 2007 Gas Prices Poised to Hit All-Time High The average price of gasoline is set to exceed the inflation-adjusted all-time high this week, and the impending summer travel season is expected to offer little relief. Two energy experts analyze the factors that continue to pump up gas prices.

	May 14, 2007 Daimler to Sell Bulk of Chrysler to Equity Group DaimlerChrysler agreed to sell the majority stake of its Chrysler Group, the third-largest car manufacturer in the United States, for $7.4 billion Monday to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. Two journalists discuss the deal's impact on the carmaker's future.

	May 10, 2007 Collapse of Overpass in California Becomes Lesson in Construction An overpass near the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge collapsed last month after a gasoline truck crashed into a guardrail and burst into flames. For an engineering professor, the incident has turned into a lesson for building safer structures.

	May 8, 2007 FAA Reconsiders Pilot Retirement Age Current law requires American pilots to retire once they turn 60, but the federal government is considering changing the age to 65. The NewsHour reports on the law's impact on the airline industry.



	APRIL April 2, 2007 Supreme Court Says EPA Can Regulate Greenhouse Gases In a defeat for the Bush administration, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that the Environmental Protection Agency can regulate carbon dioxide emissions from cars under the Clean Air Act.



	MARCH March 30, 2007 Change in U.S. Policy Toward Cuba Could Be on Horizon Americans with family in Cuba have long struggled with restrictions that limit travel back home, among other issues. With Democrats in charge of Congress and Fidel Castro relinquishing power to his brother, a change in U.S. policy toward Cuba could be near.

	March 26, 2007 President Urges Automakers to Ramp Up Production of Ethanol-fueled Cars President Bush pressed major U.S. automakers Monday to increase production of vehicles capable of running on ethanol and other biofuel blends as part of his proposal to reduce gas use. Robert Dinneen of the Renewable Fuels Association and Energy Tribune's Robert Bryce discuss the search for renewable energy.

	March 9, 2007 U.S., Brazil Sign Deal to Expand Ethanol Production An agreement between the United States and Brazil, signed Friday, would promote alternative fuel technology in an effort to expand international production of ethanol and reduce reliance on oil imports.

	March 2, 2007 Port Cities Work to Rid Air of Pollutants Air monitoring stations in communities adjacent to California ports record dangerous levels of nitrogen oxide as well as fine soot and sulfur oxides. The NewsHour reports on how port cities are working to combat the pollution.



	FEBRUARY February 23, 2007 Congress Introduces Airline Passenger Bill of Rights Following last week's ice storms that left thousands of passengers stranded, Congress has proposed a bill of rights to protect airline travelers against lengthy delays. Two travel journalists discuss the legislation and the ramifications of industry-wide regulation.

	February 19, 2007 Indian, Pakistani Leaders Pledge to Continue Talks despite Deadly Train Bombing At least 66 people were killed Monday when a pair of bombs sparked an inferno on an Indian train headed for Pakistan. Leaders of both nations condemned the attacks and pledged to continue their peace talk despite the carnage.



	JANUARY January 16, 2007 Pickup Truck Takes Its Place in Rural American Culture NewsHour guest essayist Allen Morris Jones talks about a symbol of rural America, the pickup truck.

	January 9, 2007 Airplane Production Evolves with New Technology When Boeing unveiled its latest jet, the 787 Dreamliner, there was no actual airplane -- it was a virtual rollout. The NewsHour reports on how virtual technologies are changing the airplane manufacturing process.

2008